1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to ground thawing devices and more specifically it relates to a portable ground thawing panel system for thawing an area of frozen ground to allow digging in the wintertime.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Ground heating devices have been in use for years. Typically, a heating devices utilized to thaw frozen ground circulate a heated fluid such as water or air to transfer heat to the frozen ground thereby thawing the frozen ground to allow digging and other ground work to occur.
Conventional ground heating devices require a significant heat source to the heat the fluid along with pumps to circulate the heated fluid about tubing or other structure. Conventional ground heating devices are complicated. to utilize and are difficult to repair when damaged.
Examples of patented heating devices include U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,301 to Bruckelmyer; U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,038 to Ohmann; U.S. Pat. No. 3,868,825 to Boyce; U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,452 to Carriere; U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,402 to Jakobson; U.S. Pat. No. 3,132,642 to Fingland which are all illustrative of such prior art.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for thawing an area of frozen ground to allow digging in the wintertime. Conventional ground thawing devices are bulky and difficult to utilize.
In these respects, the portable ground thawing panel system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of thawing an area of frozen ground to allow digging in the wintertime.